10.28.2009

Well, it looks like Roughrider and political novice Chris Szarka is destroying incumbant councillor Jerry Flegel. Paul, who unlike me has glasses and can therefore read the numbers on the jumbo screen, says Szarka has 1,746 votes to about 1200 for Councillor Flegel.

Carle Steel, working from her home office, called a community and arts activist for an opinion. Was expecting a good quote but apparently this longtime arts booster and defender of the public interest was speechless.

Our view: Flegel is a right-leaning councillor in a sprawled exurb, so on one hand it's tough to mourn his apparent looming defeat. But in my experience he's also a friendly, polite and intelligent professional politician who listens to his critics.

Chris Szarka was one of only three candidates who did not answer or pre-election candidates survey. As far as I know he's a newbie politician running on a simple-minded, one-note "cut taxes" campaign. Maybe I just don't know enough about him. Well, fine, whatever.

All I can say is, if he wins he has some catching up to do to his yes, perhaps wrong about some important things but still class act predecessor.

As for the titular "other stories", one of our roaming election operatives called in a little while ago. Apparently John Hopkins from the Chamber Of Commerce is on Access television questioning the need to even have a mayoral race when there's so much support for Fiacco. Harrrunk? I know Mayor Pat wouldn't agree with that. I guarantee our city politicians and more democracy and more competitive races. Even if it doesn't always work out for candidates like Jerry Flegel.